Seven NSW teams and an invitational team from the ACT competed last weekend at the 2023 Under 16 Boys State Championship, featuring beautiful weather as the perfect backdrop for action-packed softball. Held at Penrith City Softball Association, the Under 16 Boys State Championship highlighted outstanding talent within this age category across the championship weekend. 

The championship featured eight teams across two pools: 

Pool A - Cumberland Nepean, Macarthur, Orange and Southern Districts 

Pool B - Canberra, Georges River, Newcastle and Penrith City 

Grand Final 

Heading into the Under 16 Boys Grand Final between Softball Macarthur and Georges River, both teams were seeking to build on their momentum from the opening day of the championship, after producing excellent displays of softball across Day 1 to be top of their respective pools heading into the semi-final action the following morning. The next day both Softball Macarthur and Georges River secured their place in the Grand Final, after securing victories over Penrith City and Cumberland Nepean respectively in tight and competitive semi-finals. The Grand Final was an excellent game of softball, with momentum swings across the entire game, with Georges River laying the foundations towards victory after producing an outstanding display of batting, with four unanswered runs to be in front 4-0 heading into the 3rd Inning. Softball Macarthur charged back into the contest with three unanswered runs in the third inning, but Georges River found an extra gear and held on taking the game 5-3 in a memorable Grand Final. 

Watch the full highlights of the Grand Final here: 2023 Under 16 Boys' State Championship Grand Final - Macarthur vs. Georges River - YouTube

Grand Final Umpires  

Plate - Matt Beach 

First Base - Lachlan Smith 

Third Base -  Dave Roberts 

Final Placings 

Champions - Georges River 

Runners Up - Softball Macarthur 

3rd Place -  Penrith City 

4th Place - Cumberland Nepean 

5th Place - Southern Districts 

6th Place - Orange & District 

7th Place - Newcastle & District 

Participation by Invitation - Canberra Pride 

Players Player Awards 

Canberra Pride - AJ Sanft 

Cumberland Nepean - Jonathan Fabar & Jack Matthews 

Georges River - Ezekiel Turnbull 

Macarthur - Benjamin Hodsdon 

Newcastle - Cooper Hall & Luke Sherriff 

Orange - Jake Hurst 

Penrith City - Dean Lawlis 

Southern Districts - Bowan Williams 

Softball NSW would like to thank Penrith City Softball Association and all of the volunteers, athletes, team management and attendees who made the 2023 Under 16 Boys State Championship a great success. 

For any further information relating to the event, please contact Softball NSW Events & Facilities Coordinator Aimee Sutton at events@softballnsw.org.au or Softball NSW Media Marketing and Content Officer Angus Hewitt at media@softballnsw.org.au.